History of Jaina Monachism

SR No.: 001727
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: S B Deo
Publisher: Deccan College Research Institute
Publication Year: 1956
Total Pages: 616
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Principle, & History
File Size: 12 MB

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S. B. DEO
Out of the rest, the last in the list, i.e., Bimbisära is important as he was none else than the famous king of the same name belonging to the Sisunaga dynasty. But we shall deal with this king later on when we deal with this dynasty as a whole.
It will be clear from the above discussion that only a few of these kings can definitely be identified and "late Jaina tradition, without much historical support, however, brings nearly all the kings of north India in those days in relation to Mahavira by describing their queens as the daughters of Cetaka, the maternal uncle of Mahavira".111
Religion of Mahavira:
We have already referred to the facts about the existence of the followers of Pärsva in the time of Mahāvīra, and about the religion of Pārsva as followed by the parents of Mahavira.
Against this background, we may say that the religion advocated by Mahavira was not a creation of his own. The only thing he did was the organisation of moral and disciplinary aspects of the then existing Jaina Church. That he stood for a stricter code of discipline of the body and of the mind is evident from his inclusion of the fifth vow of celibacy to the aggregate of four vows of Pārśva.
The explanation offered by the Jaina texts in support of the inclusion of the vow of celibacy is as follows: The Uttaradhyayana says that "the first saints were simple but slow of understanding, the last saints prevaricating and slow of understanding, those between the two, simple and wise: hence there are two forms of the Law. The first could but with difficulty understand the precepts of the Law, and the last could only with difficulty observe them, but those between them easily understood and observed them."112
It would, however, be wrong to suppose that Pärsva did not advocate celibacy. What he did was that in the vow of aparigraha (non-possession) he included the vow of celibacy. This indirect implication of non-possession could easily be understood by the followers of Pārsva who were "simple and Mahāvīra's disciples, on the other hand, "being prevaricating and
111. GHATGE, op. cit., p. 415. In the light of the above statement, compare SHAH'S remark, "Practically all the most important sixteen Mahajanapadas had, in one or the other capacity, come under the influence of the Jaina Church".-Op. cit., p. 110.
112. Uttar. 23, 26-27; Than. pp. 201-202; Purima ujjujaḍā u vankajaḍā ya pacchimā | Majjhima ujjupannā u teņa dhamme duha kae || 26 Purimaņam duvvisojjho u carimāņaṁ duranupālao | Kappo majjhimagānam tu suvisojjho supālao || 27 ||–Uttar.